If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

HoopsHype interview with Danny

Gery Woelfel: The Pacers are headed to the lottery, but nobody can accuse you of tanking it. You have had some exceptional games in recent weeks, including a 32-point performance against Denver and a 30-point outing against Phoenix.

Danny Granger: You got to finish the season out. You have to play hard until the last game. You want to finish your season strong.

GW: What has motivated you to stay focused, especially when your team isn’t in the playoff hunt?

DG: Just the future. You always want to improve your game. Even if you’re losing and your team is out of the playoffs, you always want to improve your game and improve in different aspects as a team. That’s our main focus right now, improving on our overall team performance.

GW: Before the season, the Pacers were considered a viable Eastern Conference playoff contender. What went wrong?

DG: We lost a few guys to injuries, and we never really developed a consistent offense. Our offense has been below par for most of the season. And our defense hasn’t been great, either. Last year, as funny as this may sound, our defense wasn’t great but our offense really kept us in a lot of games. This year we haven’t played well on offense or on defense and that’s two really bad things.

GW: How frustrating has this season been for you?

DG: It’s been very frustrating. Extremely frustrating. Overall, we have a plan as an organization that we want to accomplish in the next two or three years. I think this year was a minor hiccup, but I think we’re looking good for the future. We got a young team. We’ll have a chance to do a lot of good things in a couple of years.

GW: The Pacers will to have a very high pick in the NBA draft. If you were the general manager of the Pacers, who would you select?

DG: Honestly, you’d want the No. 1 pick and, if we had the No. pick, I’d take (Kentucky point guard) John Wall. I think he’s the best player in the draft. There’s some other good players in this draft: Evan Turner (a guard from Ohio State), the big kid from Kentucky, DeMarcus Cousins … But I would still take John Wall.

GW: Do you think there is a specific positional need for this team?

DG: We can improve in a lot of different positions. As far as the draft goes, you never look for a draft pick to come in and make an immediate impact. But with a high draft pick, I think you do. And, if you ever have the opportunity to get the No. 1 pick, you got to take the best player in the draft, regardless of his position.

GW: Looking into your crystal ball, which teams are going to be in the Finals?

DG: I see the Lakers and Cleveland.

GW: Any particular reason?

DG: LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. That’s my two reasons.

GW: Who is your sleeper pick for the Finals?

DG: Denver. Across the board, they are probably one of the most talented teams. They got four guys who could be an All-Star in any given year. Whether they get it all together, I don’t know. But they’re talented.

GW: And who would be your MVP selection?

DG: I’d have to go with LeBron. Without him, they (the Cavs) probably wouldn’t win that many games. But with him, they are pretty much unstoppable. I think he’s one of the most unstoppable forces in the NBA.

GW: Speaking of LeBron, do you think he’ll stay in Cleveland or bolt to New York?

DG: If I was LeBron, I’d go to New York.

GW: Why the Big Apple?

DG: New York is the media mecca as far as endorsements and being able to expand your personnel net worth. The exposure you can get there isn’t only nationally but globally. New York does all that for you.

GW: You aren’t likely to be going anywhere soon, having signed a five-year contract extension with the Pacers in 2008. But do you plan on going back to college and finishing your degree in civil engineering?

DG: I do. I talk about going back to college every now and then. I would like to do it. I definitely want to pick it up again after I’m done playing basketball. It’s just one of those fields where, if you haven’t done it for 15 years, you probably got to go to school all over again for it.

Good to see Danny still has a positive outlook for the future considering the pure frustration that this season has been.

If Granger Was a GM he Would Select Wall

The Pacers will to have a very high pick in the NBA draft. If you were the general manager of the Pacers, who would you select?

DG: Honestly, you’d want the No. 1 pick and, if we had the No. pick, I’d take (Kentucky point guard) John Wall. I think he’s the best player in the draft. There’s some other good players in this draft: Evan Turner (a guard from Ohio State), the big kid from Kentucky, DeMarcus Cousins … But I would still take John Wall.

Danny wants Wall

"Honestly, you’d want the No. 1 pick and, if we had the No. pick, I’d take John Wall. I think he’s the best player in the draft. There’s some other good players in this draft: Evan Turner (a guard from Ohio State), the big kid from Kentucky, DeMarcus Cousins … But I would still take John Wall."

Granger was then asked who he would pick for MVP.

"I’d have to go with LeBron," said Granger. "Without him, they (the Cavs) probably wouldn’t win that many games. But with him, they are pretty much unstoppable. I think he’s one of the most unstoppable forces in the NBA.

Granger was then asked if he expects LeBron to re-sign with Cleveland or sign with New York.

"If I was LeBron, I’d go to New York," said Granger.

"New York is the media mecca as far as endorsements and being able to expand your personnel net worth. The exposure you can get there isn’t only nationally but globally. New York does all that for you."

I'm not perfect and neither are you.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned,and come short of the glory of God. kjv
Ephisians 4: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. kjv

Re: Danny wants Wall

Re: Danny wants Wall

Yeah, what has happened to Granger? His defense is lackluster, at best, he has a tendency to just keep shooting, even if he's not hitting, and now he's talking about John Wall and where he would sign if he were Lebron?
Convinces me more that Evan Turner is the pick.

Re: Danny wants Wall

Yeah, what has happened to Granger? His defense is lackluster, at best, he has a tendency to just keep shooting, even if he's not hitting, and now he's talking about John Wall and where he would sign if he were Lebron?
Convinces me more that Evan Turner is the pick.

IMO Granger is fine... He hasn't fallin off a cliff or anything. He feels he needs to score a bunch to keep us in games. Everyone would agree he needs to limit his threes. I would guess the lack of help he gets, coaching and the team not coming together are more to blame. Our team stinks this year, I hold out hope that the draft makes it all worth it. I don't blame Danny for the way the team has played. He is still the best player on our team.

He just has opinion about where he would sign if he were Lebron, what is wrong with that? Lebron would make a lot more money in NYC, DG is speaking the truth. I agree with him on Wall, but I am sure he would be fine if we got Cousins or Turner. What is wrong with a player having an opinion about something, even if we don't agree with it?

Re: Danny wants Wall

the least important position where lebron plays, right?

seriously, the flip flopping by some on this board is a bit disheartening. sure danny hasn't had a season not as great as last one, but to change your whole opinion about him that dramatically over the course of one season is a bit too much, no?

I've basically given up on this season, so I could care less whether Danny gets 40 or 4 points. this season alone won't change my opinion of any of our players because of how badly it's sucked.

Re: Danny wants Wall

Danny does not have the power to dictate where he goes like Lebron does. He doesn't strike me as someone that would ever demand a trade.

Even so, this year he's been a one dimensional non defense playing chucker at the least important position in the NBA. Sorry, I have just soured on Danny this year.

I believe you can thank the coaching "strategy" with what you see on the floor. I do believe Granger would do whatever the coaching staff expects....including focus all his efforts on D....because Danny is the perfect SF.